The Awakening
by Kyizi
Summary: Will Jack be able to cope as a single father? What’s happening to Cassie? Will Daniel be able to translate the book? And will he like what he finds? But more importantly…where is Sam? sequel to The Touched
1. Prologue

The Awakening  
By Kyizi  
  
Disclaimer: The characters do not belong to me (except baby Sha'uri!), the story, however, is mine.  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Spoilers: None that I can think of, but I'd best say at least up to the end of S3, just in case!  
  
Summary: This is the sequel to my fic "The Touched". Will Jack be able to cope as a single father? What's happening to Cassie? Will Daniel be able to translate the book? And will he like what he finds? But more importantly.where is Sam?  
  
Feedback: Always appreciated  
  
E-mail: kyizifanfic@hotmail.com  
  
Yahoo! Groups: groups.yahoo.com/groups/sg1awakening for this fic specifically, but for all fics, groups.yahoo.com/group/KyiziFic  
  
Notes: This will be structure much in the same was as The Touched, in that there will be a prologue and epilogue.not sure on the chapter count atm, but probably something like The Touched was.  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
Prologue  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
She was cold. It wasn't something she knew consciously, because she wasn't completely sure she was conscious, only that she was cold. There was a chill that seemed to surround every fibre of her being and she couldn't even pinpoint what her being was at that precise moment. There was a bright light that ebbed around her, closing her in, cocooning her in the bleakness of infinity. It was harsh; bright beyond comparison to anything her mortal eyes had ever known. Time seemed endless and immeasurable, a day, a week, an hour, a year - everything was the same.  
  
A stray thought nagged at her, begging remembrance but whenever she tried to recall it, it slipped further into the light, further away from her. Flashes of colour, or memory plagued her but seemed like a dream, something she had contrived during her endless exile, but it was nothing she remembered touching, or thinking, or feeling.  
  
Suddenly she was spinning, seemingly out of control, as the light became a muddled cacophony of colour. She seemed to be falling but her surroundings were dimensionless, nothing to tell her she was right, but for the lurching of her stomach. She fell faster and faster. Her stray thought hurried to keep up with her. Her mind yelled at her, screamed for her to remember. And then she saw him. His face echoed about her as she fell into the depths of forever.  
  
Jack.  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
End of Prologue  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~ 


	2. Part One

~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
Part One  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
General Hammond sighed and rubbed his temples. His day had started off bad and had quickly taken a slide down hill from there. He forced himself to look, once more, at the file in front of him; the same file that had been lying open for over three months. He stared at the photograph, entranced as always by the young woman he had come to respect and the friend that had become a part of his family. He took a moment to glance over the file in its entirety, and then he did one of the hardest things he had ever had to do in his life. He closed the file.  
  
*  
  
Jack took a deep breath and turned off the engine. He glanced momentarily at the empty seat next to him before getting out of the car. In the months leading up to Sha'ure's birth, they had driven to the base together, and he had grown use to her presence, grown use to her talking to him to wake him up in the morning, and closer to the end pregnancy, having to keep her awake. Every day he turned up at work it seemed to get harder to step into the base, knowing that Sam was not going to greet him.  
  
He closed his eye momentarily beore stepping into the lift that would take him deep into the mountain. He had a new plan, something he had been working on for the last two weeks. This one would work. He knew it would work, and with Jacob's help, they would find Sam.  
  
He nodded at the airman standing by the lift doors as they opened, not waiting for long enough to see the look of pity behind the man's eyes. He'd seen enough of that look to last him a life time. The corridors were all but empty as he made his way to his office, getting ready to prepare his talk for General Hammond. He knew his  
  
superior wanted to help, but there was only so much the man could do in his position, he had to be seen to be making progress or funding would be pulled. That's why this plan had to work.  
  
The air in his office was stale, but he'd been spending less time in it that usual, instead finding the presence in Sam's office more calming. But not today, today he had no time to wallow in his memories. Today he was going to start his plan to get her back and nothing was going to stand in his way.  
  
*  
  
This had to be, without a doubt, the worst mission Daniel had ever been on. And there had been some stinkers in his time with the SGC. He'd been in trouble more times than he could remember, but this was worse. It was even worse than any of times he had been killed. In fact, if someone had offered to set him up with a group of Jaffa at  
  
that moment, he would have gladly accepted.  
  
"Shay, please stop crying!" Daniel shushed his Goddaughter. He had tried everything he could think of, including attempting to sing. Unfortunately, that had ony made matters worse. He had once been told that there was no such thing as tone deaf. He didn't believe it, and apparently Shay didn't either.  
  
"I promise that when you get older, I will buy you a pony if you'll only go to sleep. Please?" Daniel held her in front of him, pleading with the howling child. "I'll buy you lots of ponies. In fact we can negotiate on the sleep as well. You don't have to sleep, but please stop crying."  
  
There was a slight pause and Daniel's slowly began to smile as Shay scrunched up her face. But a few moments later she started crying again, and it wasn't long before Daniel understood why.  
  
"Remind me to beat your father up for this," he said as he carried her to the table to change her nappy.  
  
Daniel was stuggling to understand it. He had taken care of a few children in his time, and he had never had any trouble with them, but it seemed that Shay was taking after her father and was determined to drive him up the wall. The child hadn't stopped crying since Jack had left for work and Daniel had no idea where she was getting the energy to keep going. But if she didn't stop soon, he was going to end up deaf.  
  
The child wriggled beneath him, causing him to splatter talcum powder all over the table, all over her, and more embarrassingly, all over himself. With his glasses covered in the powder, the half empty container in one hand and a wriggling child in the other, Daniel sighed.  
  
"Shay, sweetheart, why don't we start negotiating for that pony again, okay?"  
  
"Bribing a baby? Daniel Jackson, I'm ashamed of you!"  
  
Daniel turned to look at her, laughing. "Okay, you caught me red handed! I give, I'm a terrible babysitter."  
  
Janet shook her head as she stepped forward, removing the nappy from Daniel's hand and continued to change Sha'uri. She hummed lightly under her breath and soon Shay was giggling up at her. Janet picked the baby up and smiled at her.  
  
"Okay, that's not fair."  
  
Janet looked at him. "Woman's touch."  
  
"Hey, if I wasn't tone deaf I could have done it."  
  
"Sure you could, Daniel. Just like you could have changed the nappy."  
  
"If that was a proper nappy instead of one of those plastic disposable ones, I would have had it changed before you even thought about opening that door!"  
  
Janet opened her mouth to reply when the front door swung open and Cassie bounced into the room. She was grinning from ear to ear and holding on to a blue cuddly toy. She smiled at Daniel before reaching out to take Sha'uri from Janet.  
  
"Look what I got you Shay, its Stitch!" the baby giggled loudly and pawed the bear, no tears in sight.  
  
"Okay, it's a conspiracy. The blue alien doesn't make her cry but I do?"  
  
"Daniel," Cassie said shaking her head. "Don't be silly. It's not your fault Stitch is more adorable than you."  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Cassie giggled and stepped back in case Daniel reached to tickle her, as he often did in retaliation. "I have the baby, you can't touch me!"  
  
"You can't hide behind the child forever," Daniel said lightly.  
  
Cassie stuck out her tongue and moved to sit on the couch. She played with Sha'uri on her knee and it wasn't long before the baby's giggling was echoing through the house. After a few moments, Daniel and Janet moved into the kitchen.  
  
"So," Janet said with a small smile. "How are you doing?"  
  
Daniel shrugged. "Okay, I guess. It's Jack I'm worried about."  
  
"I'll worry about Jack when I have time to pester him about it. We're talking about you here." When Daniel didn't seem inclined to talk Janet sighed and continued, "Daniel, you have to start taking care of yourself. You can't not sleep. You're wearing yourself out and you will be no use to anyone if you burn out."  
  
"I can sleep when we find Sam," he said softly, refusing to make eye contact. "Right now, I need to concentrate on translating that book. I know the answers are in there and I will find them."  
  
"And no one doubts that, Daniel," Janet sighed, placing a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at her and she smiled sadly. "We all miss Sam, but killing yourself isn't going to bring her back to us. You need to stay strong, if not for your sake, then for Jack's and for Shay's. They need her back, but they need you as well, Daniel. They need all of us to be here for them."  
  
Daniel nodded and, without thinking, pulled Janet into a hug. He wasn't quite sure what had possessed him to do it, he wasn't as close to Janet as he was with SG1, but st that moment he needed her friendship. He held on tight, refusing to let go until a piercing scream broke the silence.  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
End of Part One  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~ 


	3. Part Two

~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
Part Two  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
Jack took a deep breath and straightened his tie. He hated these things, but if this presentation was what it took to get him the support he needed to find Sam, he'd do it. He'd do anything. Shay was growing up without her mother, and he was living every day watching his life slip away from him. He hated not having her with him, hated that she was out there somewhere and he wasn't a part of it. But most of all, he hated not knowing whether or not she was in danger.  
  
He knew that there was something he was missing, something important; it was right in front of him and yet he failed to see what it was. He had spent so much time with Daniel over the past few months that he was becoming quite fluent in several languages.okay, he recognised words that were repeated, but it helped. It helped him feel closer to Sam when he looked at the red book. He knew that it was in there, the reason for her disappearance, where she was. He knew it was all in there, but he couldn't understand it. And what was worse was that he knew that Daniel was having trouble understanding it as well.  
  
There were new languages, languages that clearly had not come from Earth. There were some that Daniel could see Greek roots in, but he was no closer to figuring out most of the words than he had been a few months ago. The rest seemed to have no pattern. But there was one. One that Jack could recognise, but he didn't know what it was or why he knew it. But it was definitely familiar.  
  
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Jack glanced at his watch and cleared his throat nervously. It was time to step into the room. He'd been standing outside for about ten minutes, but there was something that was stopping him from going in. He had arrived early for briefings with General's before, in fact he usually preferred to be early. But this time he wanted to stay away from them. He wanted to get in, say his piece and get out there and find Sam. It was all he cared about besides his little girl. Nothing else mattered to him.  
  
Finally deciding that he had left it long enough, Jack opened the door, walking in slowly. He walked to the table and put down the file he had in his hands, only to frown when he spotted no one in the room. He turned to the General's office to find Hammond standing at the doorway, watching him with a look that he didn't like. He didn't like it one bit.  
  
"General?" he said, questioningly.  
  
"Come in, Colonel."  
  
"I'd rather wait for the other's to arrive, Sir. I want to get this over with."  
  
Hammond sighed and briefly closed his eyes. "They're not coming, Jack."  
  
Jack felt his anger explode inside, but he took a calming breath and ground out, "What?"  
  
"I said, they're not coming." Hammond looked as if the admission was painful to say, but Jack didn't care.  
  
"Why the hell not?"  
  
"Jack, please, come in." He indicated his office and stepped back to let Jack in. There was a pause as Jack glared at him, but after a moment, the Colonel picked up his file from the table and walked quickly into the office.  
  
"You want to tell me what the hell this is all about?" Jack spat out, turning back to face the General as he sat behind his desk. "Because I had this planned for over a week! We are closer to finding her and I want to know why the hell you seem to be sitting on your ass doing nothing!"  
  
"Let me get one thing straight, Colonel. I may be your friend, but I am also your superior. I know you're upset at the moment so I'll let your outburst slide, but you are treading on dangerous ground." Hammond met Jack's fierce gaze with one of his own, holding eye contact for a few moments before indicating the chair. "Please sit down."  
  
Jack set his jaw, looking as if he was about to say something but he seemed to think better of it and sat instead. His anger was radiating off him and the General understood why; he wasn't too happy about the decision himself, and he was even less happy about having to deliver the news to Jack. But if he didn't do it, then someone else would be in for a roasting and Jack would likely be up for a court martial.  
  
"This isn't easy for me to say, Colonel, and I want you to know that I've been doing everything in my power to try and reverse the decision, but after three months, no one's listening to me any more."  
  
"Cut to the chase, General."  
  
Hammond took a deep breath. "I've been ordered to cut off the search for Major Carter."  
  
"What?"  
  
"The joint chef's have cut our budget and we simply do not have the resources. As they see it, Major Carter disappeared while she was on Earth and therefore any search on another planet has been deemed unnecessary."  
  
"Unnecessary? Unnecessary!" Jack stood up, leaning over the desk towards the General. "Why don't they explain that to my three month old daughter who is growing up without a mother! In fact, why don't they explain it to me! I'm the one who's lost the woman I love. I'm the one who spends every waking moment trying to find her. There is no way that her disappearance was a natural occurrence, she's not on Earth, General, she's out there! And I am going to find her!"  
  
"Colonel, calm down!" Hammond shouted. "And sit down!" When Jack didn't comply, Hammond stood up. "Now you listen to me, Colonel. I understand. Maybe not exactly, but I understand. I don't want to give up the search either, but we have nothing. Until Doctor Jackson can translate anything of use, we have nothing to go on and this pointless planet hopping is getting us nowhere but bankrupt."  
  
"Money?" Jack stood up straight. "This is about money?"  
  
"Not for me, but it is for them." Hammond sighed. "You know as well as I do that the budget spent so far on the Stargate is more than either of us will earn in our lifetimes, combined. And they have to explain where that money has gone. We're on our last legs, Colonel. They're ready to shut us down. And this time it won't be something we can fight." General Hammond rubbed his eyes and focussed on Jack again. "If we lose the Stargate, Jack, then you have no hope of getting her back at all."  
  
Jack closed his eyes and sat down, placing his head in his hands. "I know," he said softly. "I know. But you have no idea what this is like."  
  
"I know." Hammond sat back in his chair and glanced at the red phone on his desk, wishing that this was a problem that could simply be solved with something as simple as a phone call. But it wasn't. "Jack, bring me something." Jack looked up at him and frowned. "Bring me something we can work with, something to go on and I swear to you that I'll do what I can to get her back to you. But you need to find me something to go on."  
  
Jack sat still for a moment before slowly nodding his head. Hammond smiled sadly at him and Jack rose to his feet, not bothering to collect his file from Hammond's desk, where he had left it. He had no need for it. There was nothing in it, nothing he could really use. There was only one place he was going to find anything, and that was with Daniel. He only hoped his friend was able to find him something.  
  
Or Sam would be lost to him forever.  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
End of Part Two  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~ 


	4. Part Three

~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
Part Three  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
The scream echoed throughout the house, vibrating up through the souls of their feet. It was deafening, screeching, a cry of agony. Daniel and Janet sprinted into the living room, praying against all their worst fears that it wasn't as it seemed. Shay lay on the couch crying so hard that her face was bright red, as Cassie writhed on the floor. Daniel scooped up his Goddaughter, swaying her back and forth in an effort to calm her as Janet instantly went to Cassie's side. Daniel wasted no time in going to the phone, dialling the base as quickly as he could.  
  
"Cassie, honey, I need you to tell me what's wrong," Janet swept one hand over her daughter's brow and the other over her stomach. "Cassie, can you talk to me?"  
  
"I-I.make it stop!" Cassie rolled onto her side, curling into a foetal position, one hand wrapped around her stomach, the palm of the other pushing into her temple.  
  
Janet tried to turn the girl over, but Cassie wouldn't move. "Cassie, Cassie, you need to let me examine you," she said before turning to Daniel as he hung up the phone.  
  
"They're on their way," he said, clutching Shay a little closer, trying to stop her throwing her head back to far as she cried. Janet nodded and turned back to Cassie and Daniel wasn't surprised to note that her face was pale. She was worried and Daniel didn't blame her, he was terrified.  
  
"What the hell's going on?" Jack ran into the room, not stopping to close over the front door. His eyes instantly locked on Sha'ure, but Daniel shook his head, indicating that Shay wasn't the one in trouble. Spotting the young girl on the floor, Jack went to her side and stroked her head, helping Janet to finally turn her onto her back again. "What happened?"  
  
"I don't know!" Janet was able to pull Cassie's hands from where they were wrapped around her and started once more to examine her.  
  
"Cassandra, can you hear me?" Jack asked and, after a moment, she nodded. He turned to Janet and nodded.  
  
"Cassie, I need you to tell me where it hurts. I need you to tell me how it hurts."  
  
"It's-it.my head," she placed her hands at either side of her eyes, rubbing her fingers over the skin in slow circles. "And- ahh!" She instantly grabbed her stomach, again, trying to roll onto her side. Jack held her in place.  
  
"Okay, Cass, okay." Janet leaned closer to her daughter. "It's okay, we're gonna try to help you."  
  
"It hurts."  
  
Looking at her daughter's tear stained face, Janet had to take a deep breath to calm herself. "I know it does, sweetie. Can you tell me how it hurts?"  
  
"S-stabbing."  
  
"Okay, now I need you to stay strong.okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"They're here." Daniel, who had moved to the window, turned to the door, waving at the men to hurry up. Bringing in a large stretcher and some equipment, they hurried into the house, following Janet's orders. Knowing there was nothing that could be done where they were, it wasn't long before Cassie was on her way to the base. And all they could do was pray that she would make it.  
  
*  
  
Janet rubbed her eyes, knowing that she likely looked a mess, but she didn't really care. She covered her hands over her face and sighed, forcing herself not to cry. She could wait until it was all over and Cassandra was back home where she belonged, and then she could cry, but right now she needed to stay strong.  
  
There was a knock at her door and she looked up, trying to smile at the General as he entered the room. She stood up and joined him as he glanced back into the infirmary through her office window. For a moment, they didn't say anything, just watching as Cassie's unconscious form shuddered and writhed in agony.  
  
"Is there any news?"  
  
Janet shook her head and frowned, trying to distance herself from everything in order to think. "I'm still waiting on the scans to come back, they shouldn't be long. But I can't understand it. There was no warning and she'd still in pain and she's asleep! I just don't know what I'm dealing with here. Her physiology is slightly different to ours, and with the naquada in her system, it could be anything."  
  
"I'm sure you'll work it out."  
  
"I hope so," Janet said softly, staring at her daughter. "I hope so."  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~  
  
End of Part Three  
  
~x~x~x~x~x~ 


	5. Part Four

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

****

**_Part Four_**

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

Janet stroked her hand across her daughter's brow, once more swallowing the lump that was rising in her throat. It had been over two hours since they had arrived at the base, and Cassie had yet to wake up. She looked peaceful now, almost as if she were asleep, and if it wasn't for the fact that she was a doctor, Janet could almost have allowed herself to believe it. 

Cassie had stopped shifting in her sleep about half an hour earlier, but the memory of the girl's seeming agony in her sleep was something Janet would take a lot longer to forget. The only sounds in the room were the gentle beeping of the machine, and Janet focussed on it as if she were willing it to remain in the same stable, regular rhythm. 

"Hey."

She turned and offered Daniel a weak smile as he stood behind her, placing a hand on her trembling shoulder. She didn't trust herself to speak.

"How is she?"

"Sh-she's stable," Janet choked out. 

"I'm sure she'll be fine."

"You don't know that, Daniel." There was no trace of anger in her voice; she knew that Daniel was only trying to comfort her, she knew because she did the same thing to all her loved ones when they were in distress. But reality was part of her job, and when it came to medicine, when it all came down to life, she knew that there were no guarantees. But, not for the first time, she wished that she wasn't so close to that knowledge. She wished that she was able to forget that she was a doctor and just live in the hope that everything would be fine because she wasn't sure she could handle it any other way.

"I can't lose her." She said it softly, and it was honestly meant for herself, not for Daniel. 

"I know." Daniel moved to crouch down in front of her and pulled her into his arms as she began to cry.

*

Jack held the crying child in his arms, shushing her as best he could. He'd always been good at this with Charlie, but there was just something about doing the same thing with Shay that was so completely different. There was a slight similarity in the way Shay's nose turned up that painfully reminded Jack of his son; he had always assumed that it had come from Sara's side of the family, but clearly not.

He rubbed his eyes and took a seat at Sam's desk, ignoring, as he always did, the ache he felt in his chest that she wasn't in the room with him. He had quickly come to realise that she had etched herself so strongly onto his heart that his life seemed to have little meaning without her. Nothing but Shay and Sam mattered to him anymore.

As his daughter quietened, his mind ran to Cassandra, and a part of him felt instant disgust with himself for thinking that he cared of no one else. The little girl they had rescued from her dying planet was fast becoming anything but little, but seeing her in the pain he had witnessed had made her seem more childlike and innocent that she had in a long time. He knew that Janet and Daniel were worried, and he was as well, but there was something nagging at him. Something that made it impossible to sit in the infirmary with her, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

He let his gaze wander around the room and he frowned as his eyes fell on the Red Book; the Holy Grail to finding his Sam, if they could only understand it. It seemed that he was not the only one that had taken to using Sam's office.

For some reason he was completely unaware of, he crossed the room, careful not to disturb Sha'uri, and picked up the book, rifling slowly through the illegible scribbles that had been penned over time, by a number of different hands.

Stopping at the page he always did, he took the book to the nearest chair and found himself staring at the writing. Again. He couldn't explain it, but there was something about it that seemed so familiar…something that could be vital if he could only remember where…

Jack's eyes widened and he jumped to his feet, and as fast as he could, without harming his child, he took off towards the infirmary.

_*_

Jack pushed the doors open with such force that Janet and Daniel leapt apart, almost as if they were doing something wrong. The instant she realised who was there, Janet checked the machine to her daughter's left and noted with relief that it was still giving out the same steadying beeps.

"The writing!" Jack thrust the book towards Daniel.

"What about it?"

"I know why I recognise it." Daniel and Janet exchanged glances and Jack continued. "I saw it on PX8 987. I saw it on Hanka the day we rescued Cassie."

There was a slight pause and Daniel glanced at the girl on the bed before turning back to Jack. "You're sure?"

"Yes, Daniel, I'm sure." Jack gave Daniel the book and began to calm Sha'uri, who didn't seem to have enjoyed their run to the infirmary. "Do you remember that old building with all those…things?"

Daniel raised his eyebrows. "You mean the museum?"

"Probably. I don't know, you tell me." Jack sighed. "Look, I wasn't really paying attention to that part, okay. All I know is that there was this artefact, or something. It was small, could've fit in my hand. It looked a bit like a TV remote. There was some scroll or something beside it and _that_ was the writing on it."

Daniel looked at Janet and tried not to let Jack see his disbelief, but couldn't help feeling that something didn't sound right. "Are you telling me, that you, Jack O'Neill, remember an artefact we saw three or four years in an alien museum?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry, Jack, but you and museums don't exactly mix well, and I find it a little hard to believe that you were that interested in it to remember it this well."

Jack cleared his throat. "Well, I wasn't exactly _looking_ at it. I kinda knocked it over on my way to the sports wall."

"Ah," Daniel said with a smirk. "That sounds a little more believable."

"I resent that."

Daniel smiled, and looked at the book again, frowning at the script, still not completely sure that he recognised it. "I don't know Jack. This isn't something I recognise at all. I studied Cassie's culture a little, and this doesn't fit."

"I didn't say it came from Cassie's world. I said I saw it there."

Daniel raised his eyebrows and nodded his head. "True. I guess it could be a part of their studies of other cultures or something. I just don't remember seeing it."

"You can't remember everything, Daniel," Janet said as she reached out to stroke Cassie's hair. "And maybe there'll be an explanation to this out there as well."

Daniel and Jack exchanged a glance and Jack nodded. "I'll go and ask Hammond of he'll authorise the mission. The military might not be willing to do it for Sam anymore." Jack struggled to keep his voice steady. "But maybe Cassie will be different." 

Daniel nodded slightly, and took his Goddaughter from Jack. "On you go, we'll be fine here."

Jack nodded and took a good look at Cassie. She seemed so pale, so childlike, despite the fact that she had grown a considerable amount since they had rescued her. He walked around the other side of her bed and placed a hand on her forehead, silently vowing that he would do all in his power to save her as well.

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

**_End of Part Four_**

  
~x~x~x~x~x~

I decided that this fit better as one part, so I decided to make it one, as I want to keep the content of what's coming in the next chapter together and that meant that Part five would have been really short!

Part Five is already drafted roughly and will be typed up properly asap! Look forward to more very soon :)


	6. Part Five

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

**_Part Five_**

_  
~x~x~x~x~x~_

"Well, this is new." Jack frowned and indicated to his team to take up position by the gate. He turned to Daniel, who nodded and stood next to the DHD so that he would be nearby in case he had to dial home quickly. 

"Sir."

Jack turned to the young Lieutenant that had accompanied them this mission, and followed his gaze to a rather large rock. "Again," Jack said, moving towards the younger man, "that's new."

Jack glanced around at the landscape. As far as the eye could see, the ground was covered in rocks of varying sizes. They were embedded into the ground, looking as if they were meant to be there, in fact, if Jack didn't know any better, he would have said they had been there for thousands of years. Some of the rocks were covered in enough moss and overgrowth to support that theory, but SG1's previous visit proved it otherwise.

"Asteroids?" Daniel asked, glancing about at the terrain. 

"I doubt it. The impact would have left a crater," Jack replied absently. "No, these rocks look like they were embedded here on purpose." As if realising that he was still speaking, Jack looked up at Daniel's shocked face with a sheepish grin. "So I'm not entirely stupid." 

"Let me guess, your way of pulling Sam's pigtails?"

Jack shrugged. "That and I love listening to her talking." 

Jack noted the look of pity on the Lieutenant's face and instantly got back to the matter in hand. He glanced at the rock closest to him again. It looked harmless enough, so he took a step closer, making sure that his gun was at the ready, although not entirely certain what a rock would be likely to do that would require shooting it. Then again, Jack had seen too much over the last few years for him to rule out angry rock people.

"I don't think they cause any immediate danger." Jack said, after closer inspection. "Teal'c keep an eye out, would ya?" Jack reached out his hand and pressed it cautiously against the rock. Nothing happened. He felt around to make sure that there were no inscriptions and no buttons, nothing that would indicate the rocks were anything dangerous.

"Anything?" Daniel asked after a few moments. 

"No, seems to be just a big ol' rock."

"I believe we should be cautious, O'Neill."

"Agreed," Jack said, pulling back. He turned to face the team. "Okay, the museum is about twenty minutes away. Keep a sharp eye."

The trip to the museum was uneventful, and Jack was beginning to get uneasy. The closer they got what had been the town centre, the larger the rocks seemed to get. They were built around the city in a large circle, as if to protect it, and these rocks wre all smooth and bumpy. Once inside, the sizes were, again, varied, and Jack couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Closely.

"Anyone else feeling a little on edge?" Lieutenant Anders asked.

"Oh, I'm right there with ya," Jack said, suppressing a shiver. "Rocks are your speciality Daniel, any theories?"

"Actually…well, no."

  
The continued in silence until they had reached the museum, an old fashioned and elaborately built stone building. It was a large structure, looming over the town in an almost omnipotent fashion, the fact that it was slowly beginning to crumble doing nothing to its presence.

They entered and Jack quickly led the way to the Sports museum, hurrying Daniel along whenever he expressed any interest in something along the way. Desipte the obviousness of Sam's absence, Jack had felt something click when he entered the Stargate; it was as if things were okay so long as he could pretend that it was just another routine mission. Sam was back at her lad working on something of great importance that was impossible for anyone other than her to understand, and she'd be there to greet them when they returned. 

But now that they were nearing the one thing that could help in finding her, Jack was beginning to find it harder to pretend. The fact that this could be the one breakthrough they had been looking for was weighing heavy on his mind, and he wanted nothing more than for it to be over. Because when it was over, they could start looking for Sam again.

"This way," Jack said, coming out of his thoughts when he spotted the large painting ahead. The figure of a muscled up female in shorts stared down at them, a small ball in each hand; she as in the middle of an extremely complicated manoeuvre involving them landing in the grid a few feet above her head. However, to Jack it looked more like she was trying to juggle.

_Give me hockey any day._ He thought, shaking his head. "Here it is," he said, stopping in front of a podium near the centre of the room. "Guess they put the glass round it after I nearly broke it." He smiled wryly and lifted his gun.

"Woah, woah! What are you doing?" 

"Well, I was going to break the glass," Jack said, trying to shake the gun from Daniel's grip.

"As nice as it would be to watch you make a mess in a museum," Daniel said sarcastically, "why don't we just try hitting the button that says open beside it."

"I guess we could try that." Jack shrugged as Daniel rolled his eyes, leaning to press the small red button on the rim of the podium.

There was ac click as the glass began to move, sliding aside to create a small hole in the glass. Daniel reached in carefully and pulled out the book, fingering it a little before he placed it in his bag.

"That it?"

"Well, Yes, I suppose it is." Daniel said, pulling his bag back on. "But I really wouldn't mind a closer look at the emerald statue in the great hall we passed through. It looked rather like a depiction of the Greek God Zeus, and I'm not sure why the similarity is there, but I wouldn't mind finding out. I mean, the links-"

"That's a yes, then." Jack said firmly. "We don't have time for this, Daniel."

"Yes, you're right, I'm sorry."

Jack forced a smile, and nodded to his friend. "Hey, when we get her back you can both come here and explore to your hearts' content. Okay?"

Daniel smirked. "I'm going to hold you to that. And I have witnesses. Right guys?" Daniel frowned, ignoring Anders' laugh, and took a few steps closer to Jack, staring over his shoulder.   
  
"What?" Jack asked, turning around. 

"I might be going insane, but I'm sure I just saw someone."

Jack instantly held his gun at the ready. "This planet is dead, Daniel."

"Well, I've been dead a few times myself and I'm still here."

"Point taken." Jack signalled for Teal'c and Anders to get into position and follow him. They slowly crept towards the hall that Daniel had been looking into, but couldn't see any movement. They quickly searched all the adjoining halls, and soon had looked through the entire museum, but had found nothing.

"You sure you saw someone?" Jack asked as they were making their way back to the Stargate. They were being extremely wary at every little noise, but nothing had appeared so far.

"I'm positive. I mean, we've heard of stranger things, besides we used the Stargate to get here, what's to say she didn't?"

"She?" Jack asked, eyebrows raised. If there was one thing that was worse than Daniel wanting to know more about someone on another planet, it was Daniel wanting to know more about a _female_ someone on another planet.

"Yeah, she was about 5"4', brown hair. I swear she was listening to us."

"You said you only saw her for a few seconds."

"I did, but that was what she looked like."

They reached the Stargate and Daniel was ordered to dial home as quickly as he could. There was no way Jack was letting anything get in the way of a new chance of find Sam. He signalled for the others to enter the Stargate first and did one more glance around before stepping through himself, completely unaware of the high pitched noise echoing through after him.

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

End of Part Five 

Again, sorry for the wait! This is me starting to get a little into the plot now! I hope you can forgive the lack of posting for this fic of late. I hope to have at least one more part done by Christmas, maybe two.

_Feedback is always appreciated :)_


	7. Part Six

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

**_Part Six_**

_  
~x~x~x~x~x~_

"Well, it's definitely the same writing, I'm just having trouble coming up with a key," Daniel said with a sigh. "I can see so many similarities, but there are five different languages on the scroll alone, and the book is even more complex. I mean, the book's only the one main language, but it's written by someone I swear should have been a doctor, eh, no offence Janet, and I can't find anything with similarities on the scroll."

"I thought the scroll was the key, didn't you say when we got it that the scroll was the key?" Jack asked, rubbing his temples. Daniel knew Jack was having a hard time not zoning out when he was talking, but he also knew that Jack had made a promise to himself that he would help Daniel figure this thing out, that he would take an active part in everything that could lead him to Sam, and now, everything that could help Cassie as well.

"Well," Hammond said, clearing his throat, "at least it's a start." He stood up and looked at them with a small smile. "I'm sure you'll figure it out soon enough, Doctor Jackson, but I think we could all use some sleep. I'm sure you'll agree that you will all think a lot better on a good night's sleep." 

When Jack looked ready to protest, Daniel cleared his throat, drawing attention to him. "Jack, the General's right. We can't do anything just now. I'm beat, and I'm guessing you are as well." Before Jack could protest that statement, Daniel continued, "and even if you're not, I'm sure that Shay is."

That being the deciding factor, Daniel knew he had won. Jack nodded and bade them farewell, heading off to the infirmary to collect Sha'uri from Janet's care. Sighing, Daniel picked up the books and the scroll, knowing that, despite his words, he would likely open them up when he got back to his apartment. 

He made his way to the infirmary to say good night to Janet and to check on Cassie, but quickly made his way topside. He stepped out of the elevator rubbing at his ears. He had had earache since stepping back through the Stargate, which, in itself wasn't a strange thing, the change in altitude and weather conditions often led to earache for many of the SG personnel. What was strange, though, was that it hadn't stopped yet.

Sighing, he shook his head and got into his car, turning up the radio and hoping his ears would pop and just put him out of his misery. The drive home was quick, and Daniel gave a start when he realised he had driven most of the way in a daze. He knew that it was dangerous, but with his knowledge of the road, and his worry for Sam and Cassie, he didn't really care.

He got out of his car and locked the door, fumbling with his keys as he made his way up to his apartment. He was greeted by a bright light, and he cursed as he realised he had left his lights on for the last three days, having been going between the base and Jack's house. He threw his keys on the mantle and rubbed at his eyes as he switched the kettle on. 

Dropping his bag onto the counter, he pulled out the books and opened the Red Book at the script that Jack had recognised. It still didn't make any sense to him, but he was beginning to feel a familiarity with the script now. If he could only figure out the key, things would be fine. But, unfortunately, that was beginning to look more and more difficult as time went by.

The kettle clicked off as it reached boiling point, and Daniel rubbed at his ear as he pulled a mug from the cabinet above his head. He poured himself a mug of coffee and picked up the scroll, hoping to decipher one of the languages on it, so that he could get the key to the book. He sighed in relief as his ears popped, and turned around, spilling his coffee on his shirt.

"Hello, Daniel Jackson."

He tried to ignore the fact that he had squealed, and the fact that his spilled coffee was burning his chest, and focus on the young woman in front of him. She was about five foot tall, with long brown hair and sparkling blue eyes. She was absolutely beautiful and without doubt, she was the woman he had spotted earlier that day in the museum.

"Er…hello?"

The woman laughed and reached out a hand. "You must be in hurt," she said, her thickly accented voice soothing him, and placed her hand on his chest. A blue light surrounded him and the pain was gone, as was the coffee stain on his shirt.

"Eh, thank you."

"Welcome."

Daniel smiled and cleared his throat. "So, em, you're here." The woman nodded. "Right. That's great and everything, but, eh, who are you?"

The woman laughed again and nodded once. "I am Lieral of Hann'ana. My people are of the old."

"Right," Daniel nodded. "How, eh, how did you get here?"

Lieral smiled and opened her mouth, as if to speak, but instead she began to sing. Her voice was beautiful, and Daniel automatically thought of Sirens. The beautiful voices that had the ability to render a man useless and promise him everything he wanted, and make him do whatever _they_ wanted. At that moment, he would have gladly done whatever Lieral wanted him to. 

Her voice began to increase in pitch and volume, until she was singing so high that Daniel would have cringed if not for the beauty of it. He watched in amazement as she began to shimmer, her body becoming less and less real before his eyes as she drifted into a ghostlike form. The higher her voice went in pitch, the less he culd see her, until her voice got so high he could no longer hear her, and she blinked out of existence.

A moment later she reappeared and his ears popped once more. He stared at her in astonishment and admiration as she smiled serenely at him. 

  
"Well," he said, clearing his throat, "that explains the ear ache."

Lieral laughed and took his hand, leading him into his living room and sitting next to him on the couch. "You wonder me, Daniel Jackson," she said, and Daniel couldn't help but smile indulgently. "I am speaking wrong?" she asked.

"Only a few misplaced words, but the meaning is the same, if a little, eh, eccentric."

"I learned on my travel to your world today."

Daniel raised his eyebrows. "You learned to speak English in the space of about seven hours?"

"It is too long?"

Daniel laughed, "No, it's amazing."

Lieral smiled and sat further back. "Your form is comfortable to me. It is that of the people on Hanka, and it is that which we once were. We have forgotten the wonder of the body we had of old, we have forgotten who we once were."

"And that's a bad thing?" Daniel asked, settling himself beside her. He knew he should be contacting the base, but there was something about Lieral that made him want to get to know her better first.

"Not all. There are many things of both ways that are good. I think I prefer this way, but I am young among the old."

"If it's not too rude to ask, how old are you?"

"I am many cycles older as you would think old. I am called of the Elders, as I am too young to be of the Ancients."

"The Elders? The Ancients?" Daniel asked, his eyes widening. "You're one of the Elders of P6X-989?" 

Lieral frowned. "I do not know this place."

Daniel sighed. "Okay, let me think. Come on, Daniel, remember." He closed his eyes, trying to recall something that would help him get across the planet he was thinking of, anything to give Lieral an indication of the planet he wanted her to know. The planet he needed her to know.

"Okay, do you know what this means," he started, hoping he could remember it correctly, "Kly nya'ra Manat'ma?"

Lieral's eyes widened and she sat forward, clasping at Daniel's hands. "Kly nyaha'ra Manat'maha?"

"That's it!" Daniel said, his eyes wide. "In our tongue it means-"

"The Touched." Lieral nodded. "Although I have learned today. I once spoke like this language."

"Of course, Hai said that we spoke the language of The Ancients."

"Hai!" she said with delight. "Hai is a good man."

"Yes," Daniel said, smiling at her, "yes, he is."

Her delight was, however, short lived and she frowned. "What will you know of The Touched?"

"On our visit to Hai's planet-"

"Yaha'ri." 

"Yaha'ri?" Daniel said, and she nodded. "Okay, on our visit to Yaha'ri, my friend and colleague, became Touched. She had a beautiful baby girl, but just after she had given birth, she disappeared in a bright light. We've been looking for her ever since." The woman nodded slowly and Daniel leaned closer. "Lieral, I need to ask you. Do you know where she is? Can you help me find Sam?"

Lieral smiled sadly and shook her head. "Daniel, Samantha Carter is beyond your reach."

"How did you know her name?" he asked loudly. "Do you know where she is, Lieral? Where is she?"

Lieral reached out a hand to stroke Daniel's cheek. "You love your friend very much," she said, tenderly stroking a finger across his lips, "but you cannot reach her."

"Why?"

"She is at one with life itself." Lieral smiled, and Daniel detected a note of wistfulness in her voice. "Her spirit is Awakening."

_~x~x~x~x~x~_

End of Part Six 

Well, you got a lot more info here than I had planned to give, but hey, knowing the way I can go on with confusion, this is not a bad thing! I hope you like Lieral, since she is going to become a large part in the story now. She's actually loosely based on a girl I go to college with, although not in looks. Those were decided by my fingers as they did what they do best, wrote without consulting my head! LoL!

_Feedback is always appreciated :)_


	8. Part Seven

Well, it's been a while, huh? Am sorry for the wait. My muses went mad today and this is the fifth fic I've updated. Pretty cool, huh? ;) Lets hope I can keep it up, eh?

Hope you enjoy!

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Part Seven 

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She blinked and rubbed at her eyes. The form she had taken was not unpleasant, in fact it was strangely comforting, but she felt out of sorts, as though she were a piece of metal that had been melted and bent into some other shape. She moved a little, beginning to get the feel for her new body, allowing herself the pleasure of stretching.

She remembered little of who she was which bothered her slightly, she knew that they did not care, they only wanted something, but she struggled to think. She had no recollection, despite her unease, of what she was meant to look like, of who she was meant to be. Everything was odd and colourful. Her surroundings made her feel peaceful and she tried to remember when she had felt that way before.

A distant howl alerted her to another presence and she turned, running into the forest as fast as her legs could carry her. She had been running for so long and she wasn't sure when to stop. Should she stop?

Upon entering a small clearing, she brushed at her fur, cocking her head up quickly as a branch snapped to her right. She narrowed her eyes and growled, her acute sense of smell letting her know that, while of her form, the new creature would not necessarily be willing to let her alone.

The large grey wolf stepped into the clearing, the light from the waning moon lighting its eyes eerily. It inclined its head a little before breaking into what could only be considered a smile.

A flash of light shot toward her. She tried to run, but it was upon her too quickly. She felt her memories flooding past her, remembering her life, who she was. What she was.

She felt her bones cracking and realigning, yet she felt no pain. After a few moments she took a deep breath and curled up, wrapping her arms around legs. She shivered at the sudden loss of her fur.

"Samantha Carter."

She cringed as she was approached, but glanced up, her curiosity getting the better of her. The moonlight cast a halo around the woman's form as she leaned over.

"Samantha Carter."

"Yes," Sam replied, her throat feeling a little rusty as it had not been used to form words for so long. "Yes, that's me."

"You are welcome here, Samantha Carter of the Touched."

The woman's accent was strong and it took Sam a moment to understand the words. The woman leaned closer and Sam was able to make out her features. She had long red hair and fiery eyes that Sam was unable to ascertain the exact colour of.

Sam felt cloth being draped over her and she sat up quickly, realising that she was completely naked. Somehow, she didn't think her hosts minded, but she did. Quickly wrapping the thick material around her body, she struggled to a standing position, her legs protesting at being stretched out and her head spinning due to the newly found altitude.

She glanced around the small clearing, spotting three other people. The others were all men, all slightly taller than Sam and the woman. They all had red hair and the same distinguishable eyes.

"Who are you?" she finally asked.

"I am Ranna of the Elders," the woman said. "My companions are these, Dhern, Peral and Freet."

Sam nodded. "I'd introduce myself, but you seem to know me already."

Ranna chuckled. "We know all who be Touched. We guide and Awaken."

"That's nice, but I have a baby and a…a husband to get back to." Until she had said it aloud, she had not realised how much she missed her life. It was as though the words opened the floodgates to her feelings and she was momentarily struck with grief and dismay that she wasn't entirely sure belonged only to her.

"You can sense him," Dhern said, a note of disbelief in his voice.

Sam nodded, realising that he was right. The grief and anguish she felt at the separation was nothing to what Jack was feeling. She had had no memories to plague her, he had been without her and he had known it.

"I must go back to him."

"You cannot."

She swivelled to look at Freet, her anger very obvious to the four Elders. "I will go back to him."

"Yes," Ranna said, "you will, but not yet. Your spirit must Awaken or you will go mad with the Sense."

"I don't understand," Sam said, unable to mask the pain she, no Jack, was feeling.

"I know you do not," Ranna said, smiling. "But I will explain you."

"And then I can go home?"

Ranna exchanged glances with the others. Whilst Freet was shaking his head emphatically, the other two men seemed to be regarding Sam with disbelief and she was unsure as to why.

"I will find a way home," Sam said, "whether you help me or not. I fought for a long time to be happy and I will not let you take that away from me."

Ranna regarded her for a moment. "There are many things that must be done to allow it. Not all things are of your control."

"I will find a way."

"And I will help you," Dhern said, earning the surprise of even his own people. "It is rare to find someone Touched so deeply. I will help you, Samantha Carter."

"It is not allowed." Freet seemed unmovable.

"Then make it allowed," Sam said angrily. "All I ever did was try to help someone."

"And that gave you the greatest gift of all."

"You took me away from that."

"We did what we must," Peral said, speaking for the first time. "Not often rules be broken and you changed course of life. It, in turn, changed you." He took a step towards her, testing to see if she was all right with him approaching her, before walking right up to her. "You cannot handle changes up here," he continued, indicating her head. "You hear and see what you cannot control. Not meant for humans of Earth."

"Then fix me."

Peral sighed and smiled at her, sadly. "I know not if we can."

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End of Part Seven 

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I know, I know! I'm sorry! hides


	9. Part Eight

For Kelli, because she asked for an update. Hope you like.

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**Part Eight**

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"I'm sorry, Doctor Jackson, but this woman-"

"Lieral."

"This woman compromised the security of this base. She travelled to our planet, through our Stargate, through this entire facility and no one had a clue. Now, I'm sorry, but I cannot release her until I know that she is not a threat."

"Sir, if she meant us any harm, she would have done something to us on the planet. Why follow us back here?"

"She may wish to infiltrate this facility, DanielJackson."

"Teal'c is right," Hammond said with a sigh. "Did she give you _any_ indication of where she was hiding on that planet, Doctor Jackson?"

"They, eh, they have the ability to change their form, Sir. In this case, they chose large inanimate objects...apparently it helps them think and concentrate on the internal aspects of life."

Jack frowned. "You mean they turned into those great big honkin' rocks?"

"Yes."

"Angry rock people," Jack murmured to himself.

"I wouldn't call them angry, Jack, they're simply old. They prefer to root themselves into the ground."

"As opposed to, say, living life?"

"Jack, they've been living life for thousands of years. Maybe they ran out of things to do, I don't know."

"What, they couldn't just get a Play Station like normal people? Play hockey? Learn to knit?"

"Whilst I'm glad you sound a little more like yourself, Jack, can we please get back to the matter at hand? Lieral is-"

"A potential risk to this facility," the General interrupted. "I am sorry, Doctor Jackson, but until I am convinced that she will cause us no harm, I will not change my mind."

Daniel sighed as General Hammond walked away. He turned to Jack with a frown, but before he could ask, Jack raised his hands and shook his head.

"I'm sorry, Daniel, but I'm with the General on this one. She could be a security risk."

"She could be our way to finding Sam."

Jack looked pained as he answered. "And if she is you can bet I will be the first one with the questions, but for all we know she just heard us talking about Sam and is using us for her own purposes."

"I concur, DanielJackson." Teal'c said, sparing a glance at the door to his right, where Lieral was currently under guard.

Daniel glared at them both. "I don't think so."

"Well, until that 'think' is a '_know'_, we can't let her out of our sights."

"You're losing faith."

"What?" Jack asked, almost angrily.

"You're losing faith that we'll find her."

"That's where you're wrong, Daniel," Jack said as he turned to leave and Daniel hated the sudden look of defeat on his face. "Faith is all I have left."

xxxxx

"Your people do not trust me."

Daniel sighed and removed his glasses. He rubbed at the bridge of his nose before looking at her. "I'm sorry."

She smiled pleasantly. "It is not awful. I am understanding. They do not know my sincerity; they do not know me."

"Then why do I feel like I do?" Daniel replaced his glasses and looked away from her, wishing he could take back what he had said.

Lieral moved to kneel in front of him and Daniel waved off the guard, who had stepped forward at her first movement. "Danyel, do you believe in the Infinite Thread?"

He frowned. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"It is the thread of Inner Life," she said, tapping her head.

"You mean a link between thoughts?"

"Sometimes, but not all. It is the like of the..." she trailed off, as if in search of something. "I am sorry, I know not the word. It is the being, only more."

"The soul?"

"Yes. Yes, it is a Link of Souls." She smiled and stood up, pulling at his hand until he was standing next to her. "Every time a soul passes another, it connects with a single thread. The more souls pass, the more they meet, the more they _love_; then the more they link. For souls like ours that are entwined in past times, they will sense and seek each other again. You feel like you know me, because our souls are linked."

"You mean like we knew each other in a past life?"

She inclined her head, still smiling. "In sense of ways, yes."

He smiled and nodded. "In that case, it's nice to see you again."

Lieral laughed and the room was filled with song. She shook her head. "You are a good man. Your friend will find your love; the love of all who seek her soul."

"Sam?" Daniel asked, hopefully and she nodded.

"It is rare for Touched to return. They find themselves Awakened into the Infinite Thread and, for those of this form, is difficult to return. The mind of yours is not meant for living life Awake and will not work the same."

"But you just said you thought she'd return to us."

Lieral nodded. "In search of love so strong, when the souls are linked as powerfully as you and your three friends, it is possible."

"Possible?"

"If you fight for her."

"Tell me how."

Lieral smiled and waved her hand in the air. A scroll appeared before his eyes and she plucked it from nowhere, handing it to him. "I offer you the key, Danyel, it is yours to find the opening."

Frowning, he opened the scroll she was offering him. It was the key for the Red Book. Without knowing what possessed him to do so, Daniel leaned forward and kissed her quickly. "Thank you, Lieral. Thank you." With one last grin, he rushed out of the room towards his lab, hoping to finally find some answers.

Lieral sighed into the empty room and the guard eyed her warily. "I only hope is not too late, Danyel."

xxxxx

**End of Part Eight**

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Well, I hope that was up to your satisfaction! I rather liked this chapter myself, I actually felt as though the characters were more right than they have been for a while in this fic. I only hope you agree! I would also like to point out, to those who are feeling particularly cynical about her; Lieral is not a Mary Sue. She is no longer even based on anyone I know; she's writing herself.

I want to thank everyone who has stuck with this fic for so long. I had no idea when I started the Touched all that time ago that I would still be immersed in the sequel this far down the line. Thank you very much for not bailing on me! And thank you to all the people who are just joining us on the journey!

As always, feedback is a wonderful thing.


	10. Part Nine

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**Part Nine**

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"It doesn't make any sense!" Daniel let out a grunt of frustration and walked around the other side of his desk to pick up the notes he had scattered in his bout of frustration.

"Having fun, I see."

He looked up to see Jack standing in the doorway with baby Shay in his arms. Daniel sighed and finished rounding up his papers, shaking his head in answer to his friend's question.

"Nothing I take it."

Daniel looked up to meet Jack's gaze, wishing that he could say something that would remove the sadness that had taken residence since Sam's disappearance. There was nothing he wanted more in the world than to have Sam back with them, but he didn't know how to make that possible.

"There's something here, Jack, I know it. I just..." He sighed. "I just don't know what it is yet."

"You'll find it."

"Jack, I've been trying to find it for three weeks and I just can't. I've translated everything I can, but nothing makes any sense!"

"Want a fresh pair of eyes?"

Daniel nodded. It couldn't hurt. He knew that Jack had been trying his hardest to help, but there was only so much he could do during the translation process, not to mention the time had had to take in caring for Shay.

"She's looking better," Daniel said, swapping Shay for his notes. "You feeling better, little one?" he asked the girl, laughing when he got a spit bubble in reply.

"She's better, no flu left from what the Doc could see."

Daniel nodded. "How's Cass?"

"The same. Her eyes still are opening briefly, but Janice can't get anything out of her and she's not really moving other than that."

"The machines are still going haywire when she opens her eyes?"

Jack nodded absentmindedly. He frowned and glanced again at the previous page. "Do you have the page that goes before this one?" he asked.

"Sure," Daniel asked, looking through his hectic filing system, not that it was really much of a filing system any more, given the recent meeting with the floor. He located the page and handed it to Jack.

"Are there any other references to this?" Jack asked pointing to a small paragraph Daniel had previously highlighted.

"Er...no," Daniel replied after re-reading. "No, that's why I highlighted it. There was only that. I meant to ask Lieral about it, but I forgot when I got into the next segment."

"Why can't she just tell us about it if she's so damn knowledgeable."

Daniel sighed. "I don't know, she seems scared."

"Of what?"

"I don't know."

"Well, find out," Jack said abruptly. "What does this even mean?" he asked, his voice getting more and more frustrated. "The _'kla'_ of form? Becoming of one? Interchanging of _'renai'_? It's a damn riddle!"

Silence followed Jack's outburst. Daniel didn't say anything to try and make him feel better, there was no point; there was nothing to say.

"I'll ask Lieral," he said finally.

"Yeah, you do that." Jack stood up and sighed, reaching out to take Shay again, and Daniel returned to his desk. Jack walked to the door, but stopped before he exited the room. "I'm not angry at you."

"I know."

"I'm angry at the world."

"I know."

"She was taken from me, Daniel, and I want her back."

Daniel sighed. "I know."

Jack paused for a moment. "Hammond says you can let Lieral out around the base if you remain with her at all times."

"Thank you."

Jack nodded, still not turning to face his friend. He moved to leave.

"Jack?"

"Yeah?"

"We'll find her."

Jack sighed. "I know."

As he left the room Daniel glanced down at his desk before closing his eyes briefly. He glanced at the ceiling, but in his mind he was looking straight to the heavens. "I stopped believing a long time ago, but if there's anyone up there...let me find her. Let me make this right...I'll do anything."

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**End of Part Nine**

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Okay, it's been a while and it's short, I know, and I'm so, so sorry! I know this fic (as with its predecessor) has a tendency to meander along not really doing much, but I do want to start getting the plot moving a bit more, but I needed a little chapter like this before I do that. Hope you enjoyed. Feel free to feed the feedback monster ;)


	11. Part Ten

I'm not going to give you excuses. Let's just say I suck and leave it at that. It's been ages, but I hope I haven't lost all my wonderful readers. Enjoy the next part, it's for all of you.

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**Part Ten**

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She ached. She wasn't entirely sure what part of her ached, given that her form was that of a wolf, but she definitely ached. Stretching out to her full length, Sam let out a yelp of pain as her sore muscles were pulled. She had been training for so long that she had lost track of time; in fact, she wasn't entirely sure that time continued as she knew it. Moments seemed to stretch out and hours seemed to disappear, but she was still the same, still learning.

She let out a howl, before concentrating on the Change. The sensation of bones realigning was still uncomfortable, no matter how often she did it, but Sam blocked the pain as she had been taught. She stood up straight, the fact that she was naked no longer bothering her as it once had. She looked around her, the view from the cliff hauntingly beautiful. She stretched out with her mind and allowed the Infinite Thread to seep inside her. It was both scary and enlightening. She could feel everything; every plant and animal on the planet…the solar system…the universe. Hundreds of thousands of souls cried out to her in anguish, love, pain, passion, hate; they all called to her and yet she ignored them, seeking only him…only them.

She sensed him calling for her despite the fact that he didn't realise it. His love was a beacon, his pain a calling for all to hear. She smiled. Her initial confusion was gone, but she smiled as she realised that her first thoughts had been of him and their daughter. No, he wasn't her husband, not by law, but he was hers and she belonged to him. She would find him. She would return to him.

"You still let too much out."

She smiled, but didn't turn to face him. "Dhern, I'm letting it out because I want to. Why do I have to be silent when everyone else calls out?"

"Because you call more strongly. Listen."

Suddenly Jack was blocked out and all she could sense was Dhern. Everything around her was him. She saw his life as it once had been; as a young man. She watched him fall in love, she watched him transform through the Gates of Destiny, she watched him marry, have children, watched as he grew older, as he transformed into something beyond the physical form, she watched him return to his roots as granite, watched him want for more, watched him and the others leave the group as guides to The Touched, watched as he watched her arrive, as he watched her now…and suddenly he was gone, leaving her bereft.

"That is why. When you are Touched you are as we are. When you are let out, you are everything to the thread and when you leave you take something away from those you find."

Sam let out a shaky breath and nodded. She concentrated and reigned herself in, pulled back everything but her link to the thread. She watched as Dhern seemed to falter slightly then nod at her.

"You learn well, Samantha."

"Well enough?"

He smiled at her sadly. "Not yet."

She took a steadying breath and nodded. "I will return to him."

"There…there is a way."

She frowned. "Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Because you will not like it." He paused. "And because it is not your choice to make. Someone else must fulfil their destiny for you to seek what you need. There are two people who will aid your return, but in doing so will lose and gain so much."

"I don't understand," Sam said softly. She concentrated on him, followed the path through his mind and watched as he lay out the path before her. She recoiled and stepped back, shaking her head. "No. I won't allow it."

Dhern smiled sadly. "You have no choice in the matter, Samantha. It is their destiny."

Sam took a deep breath and looked up at the sky, joining once more with the thread. If she couldn't stop it, she could at least make sure that it didn't happen the way Dhern had shown her. She reached out, plucking the girl's mind from the millions upon millions that cried out to her. She made sure that she was seen, made sure that the connection went both ways, and soothed the girl. She spent hours teaching and learning and, when she was done, withdrew slowly, leaving a small trail behind her. As she came back to herself, she realised it was well into the night. The stars were shining above her and she was alone, crying gently into the almost darkness.

xxxxx

"Cassie? Cassie, honey, wake up."

She shielded her eyes from the bright lights above her and coughed, her throat so dry she couldn't even think of speaking. She allowed her eyes to get used to the light before withdrawing her hand. The people around her were blurry, but somehow she could _sense_ who they were and what they were feeling.

She croaked out a sound, before being helped to a sip of water. People were more clear and she smiled at Janet as she settled back into her pillows.

"Hey," she said softly.

"Hey yourself."

She could tell that Janet had been crying and she could feel the pain, worry, and relief around her mother. Cassie had long ago allowed herself to love Janet as a mother. Whilst the woman would never take the place as her real mother, Cassie no longer saw it as a betrayal to had two mothers. She could, and did, love Janet the same way a daughter loved her mother. And Cassie would really miss her.

"Sam," she said, her voice still rusty and sore.

Janet shook her head. "I'm sorry, sweetie, we still haven't found her."

Cassie smiled. "I have. She found me."

Janet frowned and looked up at the nurse who was by her bed before returning her gaze to Cassie. "I don't know what you mean, Cassie."

"I know."

Clearly not wanting to question her any further about Sam at that moment, Janet began to inquire about how she was feeling. After about an hour of examinations and questions, Janet finally let the others in to see her. They all hugged her and, although they were saying hello and welcoming her back, she couldn't help but feel like she was saying good bye.

Smiling as Jack handed her Shay, she looked down at the little girl, sharing the image with Sam. She wasn't sure how she was able to do it, but the surge of happiness she felt at the back of her mind told her that it had worked.

She glanced at Daniel and tilted her head to the side. "Are you any closer to finding Sam?"

Daniel glanced at Jack momentarily. "A little."

"Ask Lierel to help you." Her statement seemed to floor them. They glanced around at each other and Janet suddenly looked as though she wanted to start testing Cassie again. "Lieral knows how to help, but she won't unless you ask her."

"Cassandra," Janet said softly and she looked up. "How do you know about Lieral."

She smiled sadly. "Sam showed me everything." She looked at their confused gazes, before focussing on Daniel. "Go and ask Lieral."

He was clearly confused, but Cassie did as Sam had shown her and concentrated. A moment later the air was filled with wispy threads of light and tugged a little at the thread linking her to Daniel.

"O-okay," Daniel nodded slowly. "Will you be okay?"

Cassie nodded. "Yes, I'm not seventeen until Friday."

Her statement only added to their confusion, but she didn't elaborate. Jack and Janet left her alone with Shay, clearly wanting to inform General Hammond about what she had told them.

She looked down at the little girl in her arms and smiled. "It's okay, Shay, I'm going to get your mommy back to you. I want you to promise me something, okay?" She smiled as she watched the link between them grew stronger. "Okay, I want you to take care of everyone for me. I want you to promise me that you'll grow up loving everyone, including my mom. Don't let her be too sad. She's going to miss me. Like you miss your mom. But don't worry. When Daniel and I are finished, you'll have your mommy back. I promise."

With that, she leaned down and placed a kiss against Sha'uri's forehead. Reaching out to Sam and trying to tell her that it was okay. She didn't mind, not really. It was her destiny.

xxxxx

**End of Part Ten**

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Okay, so the plot is finally moving. I was initially going to make this the same length and structure as The Touched, but I think this might not be so long. The story is finally moving, so we'll see soon enough, but I think it'll be shorter over all.


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